Lions need big AFL scalp: Adcock

Brisbane vice-captain Jed Adcock says the battling Lions have a point to prove and need a top-eight AFL scalp to boost their self belief.

It’s been two years since Brisbane tasted victory over a finals-bound side but Adcock believes they can end the drought on Saturday night against the last top club they upset – Collingwood.

The Lions beat the Magpies by eight points at the Gabba in round 10 of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership year and have a history of lifting against their 2002-03 grand final rivals.

Since that Gabba triumph, Brisbane have won only eight of 40 AFL matches – all against competition also-rans – while they have suffered consecutive drubbings by Geelong and Essendon in the past fortnight.

Adcock rubbished headlines the club was performing as poorly as the ‘Bad News Bears’ but stressed it was important to break through against a top-eight side.

“Last year, we beat the teams that were down the bottom of the ladder near us and the same this year,” Adcock said.

“We haven’t been able to get that scalp up the top of the ladder, which is important for belief and also for the season to know we can take it up to those guys.

“So I think this week we’ve got a point to prove that we can actually bring it up against the good sides.”

Brisbane are sitting 2-4, with wins over lowly Melbourne and Gold Coast under their belt, but Adcock said Collingwood bring out the best in them.

“We’ve performed pretty well and matched up well against them in the (recent) past,” the skilful defender said.

“Obviously, there’s been a great rivalry since the premiership years, and a few years before that as well.”

Adcock said there was no lack of effort by the Lions but poor execution was letting them down.

“The problem maybe at the moment that when the pressure is being put on us, we’ve fallen away a bit,” he said.

“We feel the effort is there but we just haven’t been able to capitalise on the work we do.”

Fellow vice-captain Tom Rockliff missed Wednesday’s training session due to illness but is expected to line up at the Gabba on Saturday night.

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